NSW – Bill fails to pass by one vote

Late last night, the NSW Voluntary Assisted Dying Bill failed to pass the Legislative Council at the Second Reading stage by just one vote. Once again a majority of MPs have failed to even debate the Bill fully by considering all the sections in the Committee stage.

We understand how devastated and angry our friends in NSW must be. Our Tasmanian Voluntary Assisted Dying Bill 2013 had the same fate, supported by 12 of the 25 members of the House of Assembly. The last SA Bill in November 2016 also failed at the Second Reading stage when the Speaker made a casting vote against it.

We now await the final vote on the Victorian Voluntary Assisted Bill, now in the final drawn-out, delaying obstructive stages of debate in the Upper House.